Karasumi (カラスミ) is a specialty of Nagasaki and along with salt-pickled sea urchin roe and Konowata one of the so-called three chinmi of Japan . It is made by desalinating salt pickled mullet roe and drying it by the sunlight. A theory suggests that it got its name from its resemblance to a block of sumi (India ink stick) imported from China (Kara) and used in shodo. Karasumi is a high priced delicacy and it is eaten while drinking sake.
Mullet roe is also eaten in Sardinia, Italy.
